It is known in the prior art to transmit requests for services for a multiplicity of remote call boxes by radio channel transmission, transmitting alarms, encoding signals and for summoning emergency services to a central dispatch location. Such prior art systems may transfer messages unidirectional or bidirectional, by radio channel or in digital form. However, they are generally unitary systems which can serve only one company. This invention differentiates itself from the prior art by offering a host computerized vehicle stand unit designed to serve numerous companies and honor payment of services by credit card or by a host card, i.e. a TAXILINK CARD as shown in FIG. 1B. The example Taxilink card offers corporate customers a direct billing option for payment of services rendered within a billing cycle. Personal customers can also use the prepaid Taxilink Card to pay for services. The present invention, among other aspects, further differentiates itself from the prior art by providing for transmission of the request for services and payment of services through a telecommunication and satellite link.
The prior art which primarily uses single communication channel or a digital signals is also strictly limited to one language for entering request for services. The present invention offers the user menu-type options including many foreign languages along with a better means to assist and inform the user on selecting a destination and payment option before making a request for service. Each system unit operates independent and therefore is unaffected by its geographical relationship to one another.
As an example of the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,099 for a TELEMETRY SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED REMOTE CALLING AND CENTRAL DISPATCH OF SERVICES, PARTICULARLY TAXICABS, discloses a telemetry system distributed geographically via call boxes which synchronously transmits digital taxicab requests. Each call box repeats its transmission at intervals to insure non-conflicting receipt of the message. A central computer receives and processes the messages to eliminate redundancy, display requests to a dispatcher service, and log all requests and responses thereto. The call box can also send messages regarding vandalism, low power, and/or the system's general on-line status.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,451 for a USER RESPONSIVE TRANSIT SYSTEM discloses a user responsive transit system which includes a number of service request terminals located at intervals in areas served by the transit system. Passengers use the service request terminals to transmit a request to a central dispatch controller, the controller receives the request and automatically dispatches the most efficient vehicle by calculating the total travel distance in relation to previously assigned dispatches. A service request is dispatched to the particular vehicle which would have the minimum added travel distance. A geographical display map of the area with the various dispatch requests can be provided for viewing the vehicle operator. The vehicle operator can thereby determine the most efficient route to service the dispatch requests.
Accordingly, what is needed in the field is a computerized vehicle summoning stand or unit which functions independently from other units and can send request information to any of a variety of companies. The unit would contain specialized software which prompts the user for such information including the language desired for the transaction, the number of passengers, destination, and the type of vehicle desired. The approximate fare could then be calculated and displayed and the unit would be capable of receiving and processing payment of the fare, with a voucher being issued to the user. The free-standing unit might similarly be incorporated into a wall unit or existing computerized access system, with a telecommunication, computerized or satellite link being used to convey the vehicle request and payment information.